Tongs



Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,002

N. K. SMITH TONGS v Filed Jan. 22, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I f i A I." I

Nov. 27, 1928.

. N. K. SMITH TONGS Filed Jan. 22, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STA NELSON K. SMITH, 0F DALLAS, TEXAS.

Tones.

Application filed January 22, 1925. Serial lt'o. 4,094.

This invention relates to new and useful I improvements in tongs.

The object of the invention'is to provide certain improvements upon the tongs set forth in 'my co-pending application filed February 12, 1924, Serial No. 692,204, as well as to add numerous advantageous features.-

One of the improved features resides in the provision of a plurality of gripplng faces on the inner surface of the yoke, each face being shaped to a different radius, whereby pipes of various diameters may be more efliclently gripped and the use of bushings is obviated.

Another improved featureis embodied 1n the grippingarm and its extension and consists in forming the face of the extension on a different are from the arm and in such relation thereto, that the extension will adjust itself to smaller diameters; while the arm acts efiiciently and positively on all sizes received by the yoke.

Among other improved features are a reversible latch interchangeable handle levers; and a removable die and fastening therefor.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily under stood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of tongs made in accordance with my invention and open for engagement with the pipe,

Fig.2 is a cross-sectional view taken on,

the line 22 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a plan view, portions being illustrated in section,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing the arcs of the gripping faces of the yoke,

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the die andits fastenings, and .4 K,

Fig. 6 is a pers ective view of the carriage type of handle ever.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates an arcuate yoke which is preferably cast of metaland formed of cheek plates 11 connected by a web 12. The ends of the web terminate some distance short of the ends of the yoke, thus leaving said ends slotted or bifurcated. The yoke is formed/at one I end with super-posed ears13 and at the bptongs.

posite end with similar ears 14. Concentrically of the ears 14 is a pivot bolt 15 secured by a nut 16. I

"A handle lever 17 is pivoted on the bolt and may be removed by taking out the bolt. Between the ears 13 is pivoted a swinging gripping arm 18 which is mounted on bolt 19 passing concentrically through said ears. The bolt is removably held by a nut 20. The free end of the arm swings between the ears 13, when the arm is closed. An extension 21 is provided on the end of the arm and extends inwardly from the pivot bolt 19 between cheek plates 11 of the yoke.

The yoke is substantially U- haped as shown in the drawings, but this is subject to variation. On the free end of the arm is formed a boss 22v and contiguous to this boss is a recess 23. The handle lever 17 has a lug 24 extending from one side at its pivot end, adapted to engage over the boss and enter the recess to force the arm into gripping relation with the pipe. The ends of the boss and lug,are rounded and the lever has a concaved seat 25 at the base of the lug. The rounded end of the boss is received in this seat when the lug enters the recess. It will be seen that the lever has ample bearing on the arm to positively force it into gripping relation with the pipe..

One of the important features of the invention resides in the gripping faces of the yoke. In Fig. 4 I ave shown on an enlarged view the three arcuate gripping faces, A, B, and C, extending inward from the outer end of the yoke and each having a different radius merging into the associated face. The arc of the face A has the shortest radius and is designed for gripping the smallest diameters of pipe handled by the The face B is for the largest diameters and the face G is for intermedaite diameters. This enables the same tongs to be used on couplings, tool joints and pipes of various diameters. along the face B and a portion of the face A, the remainders of the faces being formed by the edges of the cheek plate 11. The gripping face D of the arm 18 is built up by bosses 26 on the upper and lower sides of the arm contiguous to said face. This face is formed on a different are from the face'E of the extension 21, the latter being cut back with relation to the face D. This enables the extension to adjust itself to the face A when small diameters are engaged The web 12 extends.

' and this is an important feature of the invention.

The lever 17 has a hand hold 27 and the arm 18 also has a hand hold 28. These may be used by the workman in handling the tool and for opening the arm. The arm has an outwardly or radially directed handle member 29 formed integral therewith. This member has a looped hand grip 30 on its outer end by which the member may be grasped and swung. 'A vertical slot 31 extends longitudinally of the member. A gravity plate latch 32- pivoted in the slot has a trip 33 extending through an opening 34 at the end of the slot, whereby the trip extends into the loop of the grip 30 and thus may be grasped by the fingers of the hand holding the grip 30.

- The latch has two apertures 35, either of which may be engaged on a pivot bolt 36, whereb the tongs may be inverted. The vertica swing of the latch is limited by the amplitude of the opening 34. A pair of stop lugs 37 are formed on the ears 13 in the path of the latch. When the latch is dropped the lower lug 37 is in the path thereof and the arm cannot be swung open. For fastening the handle lever 17 in an open position so that the lug 24 will be clear of.the throat of the yoke I mount a dog 38 in a recess 39 formed in the web 12.

' ThlS dog is mounted on a pivot pin 40 and has a notch 41 adapted to receive a lug 42 on the inner end of the lever 17 when the latter is swung to its open position, the closed posiiiipn of the lever being shown in full lines in The dog is sustained in its normal position by a coiled spring 43 mounted in the recess and tending to force the nose 44 of the dog from between the cheek plates into the path of the pipe. The dog has a dual function in that it not only fastens the lever, but acts to pull the yoke up to the pipe and to-take up play. The s ring 43 is strong enough to exert considera le tension and when the.

nose 44 is depressed into the recess 39, the

lip 45 is swung out against the pipe; thus tending to bring the yoke lose to the pipe.

In the face D of the gripping arm 18 are mounted a pair of gripping dies 46 in dovetail slots 47 extending through the bosses 26. The dies preferably have diagonally disposed teeth upon their exposed surfaces. Each die is held in place by a spring-pressed plunger 48' (Fig. 5) mounted in a counter bore 49; The head of the plunger engages in a socket 50 inthe back of the die; while the stem of the plunger extends from the outerfaceof the arm. The plunger not only prevents vertical displacement ofthe die, but holds it snug in its slot; howeverthe die should have a snu move the d1e the plunger 48 is pulled outwardly to withdraw its head from the socket,

sliding fitin the slot. To re-' 50, after which the die may be pushed from the slot. v

It is to be understood that the tongs may be used either as a break-out tool, for engaging the members .of a tool joint; or as a back-up tool which is supported on a carriage on the rotary table. For supporting the tongs in a carriage a short handle lever 51 (Fig.'6) is substituted for the lever 17. The tongs are readily supported by a hanger 52 in which they may be easily balanced.

In using the tongs the latch 32 is lifted by pressing down on the trip 33, then the arm 18 may be swung by means of the handle member 29 to the open position shown in Fig. 1.. The handle lever 17 is also swung to its open position in which it is held by the en-' gagement of the lug 42 in the notch 41 of the dog 38. When the tool is thus opened the throat of the yoke is free to receive the pipe, I

the extension 21 being in the path thereof. The workman standing. in front of the open yoke 10 grasps the hand hold 27 of the lever 17 with his right hand. He may also grasp the hand'hold 28 with his left hand. He 0 then pulls or swings the yoke to the pipe. The extension 21 will engage the -pipe and swing the arm 18 to a closed position.

The hand hold 28 may be omitted and hand loop 30 grasped by the left hand of the workman. In'this position the arm is swung by the workman through the agency of the handle member 29 and the extension '21 does not function as a closing element.

When the arm approaches its closed posi{ tion the latch 32 rides past the lower stop 37, thus locking the arm in its closed position. As the yoke is pulled up to the pi e the nose 44 of the dog 38is engaged by t e pipe and said dog swung on its pivot 40. This swings the lip 45 outward against the pipe with the result that the yoke is drawn up to the pipe until one of it's faces, A, B or C enga es therewith. .The term pipe as used erein includes the pipe 11 proper, couplings and tool joints. When the dog is swung or depressed its notch 41 is moved away from thelug '42,

pipe there will be a slight circumferential movement of the yoke, but the teeth of, the dies will bite into the pipe so quickly, that said movement will be of little consequenpe except to-prevent crushing and assure a. more pos tive grip. r a

The lever swings pipe sizes to. couplings or tool jointswithout.

By observing Fig. 3 it will be seenthat .when the arm reaches its closed position the face E will recede from the face A of the yoke, thereby obviating interference, but

- larger diameters such as couplings and tool joints will seat against the aces B and C. By this arrangement the use of bushings to give the proper gripping faces is obviated and the tool may be instantly shifted from alteration or change of parts and with ,as

. ating element extending into the effective action. a v Sufficient amplitude is given the face D to co-act with the faces of the oke in effectuallygri ping the pipe. 'I he grip ing action whie positive and being free rom undue slippage is mild to the extent of .not flattening, crushing or dentin the pipe. This is due to thefact that t e gripping action is more tangential than radial.

gVarious changes in the size and shape of the difi'erent'parts, as'well as modifications and alterations may be made'within the scope of the appended claims,

What I claim is: 1. A pipe tongs including, an integral yoke for geceivin -a pipe, a swinging rip-. ping arm pivoted to the outer end 0 the tyj oke, an outwardly extending handle memer on the pivoted end of the arm having a hand loop on its outer end, a latch pivoted in the handle member and havin an oper and loop of the'handle member, said latch co-actin with the'yoke to hold the arm in its close position, and .a handle lever pivoted to the inner end of the yoke and. engaging with the free end of the arm for gripping a plpe.

2. A pipe tongs includmg in combination, a substantially U-shaped yoke having a plurality of pipe gripping faces, each having a different radius, a' swingin gripping arm pivoted at one end to one o the ends of the yoke, an extension, projecting' from the pivoted end of the arm into the end of the yoke, said arm having an arcua'te face, grip-- ping dies mounted in the face of the arm, a

andle member extending radially -from the arm at its ivot and having a lon itudinal slot, a han loop on the outer en of the member, a latch pivoted in the slot of the I member and having a trip extending into the hand loop, a boss on the free end of the arm contiguous to a recess in the arm, a handle lever pivoted to the other end of the yoke having aseat for receiving the boss of the arm, and a lug onthe lever contiguous to the seat engaging in the recess of the arm.

3. A pipe tongs including in combination, a substantially U-shaped yoke having a plurality of pipe gripping faces, each having a different radius, a swingin gripping arm pivoted atone end to one o the ends of the x yoke, an extension projecting from the pivoted end of the arm into the end of the. yoke,*said arm having an arcuate face, grip-' ping dies'mounted in the face of the arm, a

handle member extending radially from the arm at its pivot and having a longitudinal slot, a hand loop on the outer end of the member, a latch pivoted in the slot of the' member and having a trip extendin into the hand loop, a (boss on the free end -0 the arm contiguous to a recess in the arm a handle lever pivoted to the other end ofthe oke having a seatfor receiving the boss 0 the arm, a In seat engaglng in the recess of the arm, a hand hold on the lever, asipring pressed element pivoted in the yoke 'sposed to engage an object. within the yoke and having an 0 erating face, and a lug on the inner end 0 the lever engaged by the face when the lever is swung to its open positionl pipe tongs, including a rigid-yoke having 'a plural ty of individual arcuate gripping faces arranged in merging relation an formed of different radii, a swin 'ng gripping arm pivoted'to the outer end 0 the okefan outwardly extending handle memher on the pivoted end of the arm having a on the lever contiguous to thehan'dtloop on'i-ts outer end, a latch pivoted mner end' of the yoke and engaging with the 5 free end'of the arm for gripping a pipe.

In testimony, whereof I aflix my signature.

" NELSON K. sm'rn. i

'in the handle member and having an operbe 

